Description

Background: BANNED AFRICAN NATIONALIST LEADER NDABANINGI SITHOLE HAS BEEN INDICTED FOR HIGH COURT TRIAL IN SALISBURY, THE RHODESIA CAPITAL, ON A CHARGE OF INCITEMENT TO MURDER. SITHOLE MADE A FIVE-MINUTE APPEARANCE IN SALISBURY MAGISTRATES' COURT ON MONDAY AND WAS IMMEDIATELY COMMITTED ON THE INCITEMENT CHARGE.

THE REVEREND SITHOLE, A METHODIST CLERGYMAN, WAS TAKEN TO COURT IN HANDCUFFS AND UNDER A STRONG ESCORT. HE SAID NOTHING AS THE FORMAL CHARGES WERE READ OUT IN THE SIMPLE COURTROOM. A CROWD OF CURIOUS ONLOOKERS, MOSTLY EUROPEANS, STOOD ON THE FOOTPATH OUTSIDE.

TWO ALTERNATIVE CHARGES ON WHICH HE HAS BEEN COMMITTED ARE CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER AND CONTRAVENING A SECTION OF THE LAW AND ORDER MAINTENANCE ACT WHICH REFERS TO STATEMENTS THREATENING VIOLENCE.

BOTH THE MAIN CHARGE AND THE FIRST ALTERNATIVE CAN CARRY THE DEATH SENTENCE.

IT WAS THE FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE OF THE 48-YEAR-OLD PREACHER-TURNED-POLITICIAN SINCE HE WAS DETAINED FOR POLITICAL OFFENSES IN 1964.